On the wedding day, my wife was abnormal

Sure enough, although Qingwen was still pouting, when she heard Lin Zhen say that he would take her there and promised to improve the conditions as much as possible, most of the grievances and resentment in her heart disappeared.

She secretly glanced at Chu Xiling, then at Lin Zhen, and finally nodded reluctantly, muttering softly, "Well... well then... I'll follow my husband."

Lin Zhen smiled inwardly, but remained expressionless. He looked at everyone again and asked, "Who else is willing to go to Hu County with me?"

Wan'er spoke first, her voice gentle but firm, "My husband must have a lot of things to do on this trip. The palace cannot be left without someone in charge. As the mistress of the palace, I should stay in the capital to take care of the inner chambers for my husband and stabilize the rear so that he has no worries. Besides, my body cannot withstand the torment of such a long journey."

She paused, two faint blushes appeared on her face, and her voice became lower with a hint of shyness.

She raised her head and looked at Lin Zhen with eyes full of gratitude and dependence, "But don't worry, my husband. With you feeding me medicine every day, my body is already much better."

When she said the word "feed medicine", her voice was as thin as a mosquito, her head drooped slightly, and the little hands hidden in her sleeves unconsciously clenched into pink fists. She looked shy and timid, and there was no dignity of a mistress left in her. She was clearly a little woman immersed in love.

Lin Zhen looked at her shy appearance, understood, and felt a warmth in his heart.

"It's fine for Wan'er to stay. I'm at ease leaving the mansion to you."

Immediately afterwards, Zhang Li also put down the teacup.

She looked at Lin Zhen, her sharp eyes flashing with insight, a knowing smile appeared on the corner of her lips, and her voice was calm but shocking:

"My husband, are you traveling to Hu County for the legendary Xirang?"

"Xirang?!"

"What Xirang?!"

"Is there really such a thing as Xirang?!"

"Isn't that a treasure only gods have?!"

Zhang Li’s words were like a huge rock thrown into a calm lake!

It instantly caused an uproar at the table!

Except for Lin Zhen and Chu Xiling who seemed to have expected it, the other girls, including Qingwen who was still feeling aggrieved, the gentle Huanbi, the alert Qingxia, the quiet Gu Zhen, and the elegant Sima Chunlei, all widened their eyes in shock, looked at Zhang Li in disbelief, and then turned their gazes to Lin Zhen in unison!

Even the maids standing behind them couldn't help but reveal expressions of horror!

The legendary divine object Xirang.

Soil that grows on its own and never depletes?!

Isn't that something that only exists in ancient mythology?!

Does it really exist in the world?

And my husband actually went to that remote Hu County just for it?

Huge shock and doubt instantly replaced the sadness of parting and filled the entire Baifu Hall!

Everyone's eyes were focused on Lin Zhen, waiting for his answer.

Even Qingxia, who was usually calm, showed an unprecedented solemnity and inquiry in her eyes.

There was dead silence in Baifu Hall.

Everyone's eyes were focused on Lin Zhen, and emotions of shock, confusion, and disbelief surged silently in the air.

Even You Meng, who was standing behind Wan'er, had a hint of surprise in her cold eyes.

Lin Zhen looked at the pretty faces filled with surprise and doubt, and suddenly burst out laughing.

The laughter broke the solemn atmosphere, carrying with it a playful and worldly insight and a calmness that came from being in control of the overall situation.

"Alright, alright," he waved his hand with a relaxed smile on his face, "Look how scared I am of you. What Xirang? That's just a hoax!"

He stood up and walked to the huge map of Yangzhou. Although it was rough, the location of Chongming was circled.

He pointed at the ink dot and said, "That old fellow, Sun Wenqian, has never seen the world and mistaken natural phenomena for miracles. That so-called Xirang is nothing more than a sandbar formed by years of silt erosion and accumulation at the mouth of the Yangtze River! It's not something carried by a divine tortoise, nor is it divine soil that can grow on its own!"

He turned around, leaning against the map, arms folded across his chest, and looked at everyone with a burning gaze. The corners of his mouth curled up in a ruffian-like yet ambitious arc:

"But! Others don't know, no one in the world knows either! They only know that the soil is a divine object, a symbol of good fortune! It's a treasure that can bring endless wealth and blessings!"

His voice suddenly rose, with an unquestionable determination:

"So! This prince intends to build another special economic zone right here in Hu County, right where the Xirang is!"

"Special Economic Zone?" The girls were unfamiliar with this new term, but considering Lin Zhen's success in Wuqing, they vaguely guessed its meaning.

"Yes! A special economic zone!" Lin Zhen's eyes gleamed. "Just like Wuqing! But bigger! More open! Attract merchants, goods, and money from all over the world, even from neighboring countries, to gather here! Let this place become a new center of wealth and a trade hub!"

He changed the subject, his tone carrying a hint of helplessness and cunning: "However, if we want to build a special zone, relying solely on the limited assets of our palace is a drop in the bucket, far from enough! So..."

The smirk on his face grew even wider, revealing a naked calculation: "We have to deceive! We have to make those merchants, bewitched by the legend of Xirang and thinking they can get rich by touching the divine object, willingly take out all their gold and silver and invest them in this Huxian Special Zone!"

His gaze suddenly became extremely sharp, sweeping across the faces of each of his wives and concubines like a physical object. His voice was low and intimidating: "This matter is of great importance. It concerns the fate of our Daqian nation for the next few decades. It is also a crucial move in the hands of this prince! Therefore, what I say today, if even a single word of it leaks out of my mouth and into your ears..."

His eyes suddenly turned cold, like ice, "Family rules are ruthless! No tolerance!"

The last four words hit everyone's heart like a heavy hammer!

A murderous atmosphere instantly filled the hall!

Even the maids standing by subconsciously held their breath.

The women were horrified!

They knew very well that the "family rules" that Lin Zhen mentioned were no joke, and they understood the importance of this matter!

The fact that the husband can tell them such a secret shows his absolute trust in them!

This trust weighs more than a thousand pounds!

"I understand!"

"I will obey my husband's orders!"

"I won't reveal a single word!"

Wan'er, Zhang Li, Huanbi, Qingxia, Sima Chunlei and others all agreed solemnly with serious expressions.

Qingwen also put away her coquettishness and nodded vigorously.

At this moment, Chu Xiling, who had been listening quietly, suddenly curled up her lips into a light and confident smile.

She put down the teacup, and her voice, like the sound of a spring hitting stone, broke the brief silence. "My husband, you are absolutely right. If I am not mistaken, the sandbar you are referring to should be the alluvial island called Chongming, just outside the Yangtze River estuary, right?"

Lin Zhen's eyes flashed with surprise and approval: "Oh? Ling'er also knows this place?"